Skiing device

ABSTRACT

A device for use by a skier in maintaining his skis in parallel relation during use while permitting fore and aft and up and down relative movement thereof comprising plates strapped to the inside of the skier&#39;&#39;s feet or boots and a vertical channel means fixed to the interior surface of each such plate. The channel means of one plate carries a slide member therein for movement in vertical rectilinear directions and, in turn, carries a horizontally disposed channel. The other channel means also carries a slide member for vertical rectilinear movement therein, but also has a horizontal slide member which slidably fits in the horizontal channel of the other plate. Thus the vertical channels and respective slide members permit relative up and down movement of the skis while the horizontal channel and slide permit horizontal relative movement therebetween.

United States Patent Inventor Jack T. Barry 1322 Lucinda Way, Tustin, Calif. 92680 Appl. No. 866,702 Filed Oct. 15, 1969 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 SKIING DEVICE 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 2Q/ 1 l. 3] E [50] Field of Search 280/1137 E, 1 1.37 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,357,714 12/1967 Kuehn 280/1137 E 3,411,224 11/1968 Wagner ...280/11.37 E UX 3,439,387 4/1969 Churches 280/1137 R X Primary Examiner-Benjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Attorney-Nienow & Frater ABSTRACT: A device for use by a skier in maintaining his skis in parallel relation during use while permitting fore and aft and up and down relative movement thereof comprising plates strapped to the inside of the skiers feet or boots and a vertical channel means fixed to the interior surface of each such plate. The channel means of one plate carries a slide member therein for movement in vertical rectilinear directions and, in turn, carries a horizontally disposed channel. The other channel means also carries a slide member for vertical rectilinear movement therein, but also has a horizontal slide member which slidably fits in the horizontal channel of the other plate. Thus the vertical channels and respective slide members permit relative up and down movement of the skis while the horizontal channel and slide permit horizontal relative movement therebetween.

PATENTEU DEC I 4 [SH INVENTOR JACK T. BARRY ATTO R NEYS SKIING DEVICE The present invention relates generally to a skiing device and more particularly to a device for firmly maintaining a skier's boots and skis in parallel relation.

Skiing, particularly snow skiing on relatively steep slopes, has become a complicated, intricate art. The speed a skier can attain as well as the stability and control which he can maintain throughout a ski run is determined by the skier's abilities and skills in handling his skis and his body.

In order to advance from a novice class to that of an accomplished skier, it is necessary to learn to maintain ones skis in substantially parallel relation while descending a moderately steep slope or run. However, since skis are of considerable length, it is difiicult for one to quickly learn to prevent the skis from crossing at the tips or rearward portions of the skis. As a result, prior to the present invention it was necessary to devote many hours to concerted practice before the skier was able to control the parallel nature or position of his skis.

The accomplished skier must not only maintain his skis in substantially parallel relation, but also must pivot or tilt his skis to the left or right about a longitudinal horizontal axis depending upon the direction in which a turn, bank or other maneuver is to be made. Thus, each ski must work substantially independently so that the right edges of both skis are caused to dig into the snow or the left edges of both skis are caused to dig into the snow at a given time.

With these objectives in mind, the present invention was devised to maintain a pair of skis in parallel relation during use while permitting independent fore and aft movements as well as up and down movements of the skis. In addition, the present invention enables the skier to quickly and completely disengage the skis from each other in the event of a fall or other minor calamity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a skiing device which is operable to maintain the skis in parallel relation even throughout fore and aft, up and down and independent rotational relative movements of the skis.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a skiing device as characterized above wherein the skier can quickly release his skis from the parallel condition in the event of a fall or other emergency.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a skiing device as characterized above which can be secured to the skier's boots without in any way requiring alteration of the skis themselves.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a skiing device as characterized above which can be strapped to the wearer's ski boots as desired, thus enabling the learner to periodically remove and later reattach such device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a skiing device as characterized above which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and which is rugged and dependable in operation.

The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The device itself, however, both as to its organization and mode of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a skier's boots and skis showing the parallel skiing device in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inside of the right ski boot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inside of the left ski boot;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical view showing independent vertical movement of the left and right hand holding portions of the subject device; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 ofFIG. 2.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown therein a pair of skis 10 and 12 attached to the feet of a skier by means of the usual ski boots 1 4 and 16. The boots, of course, are firmly secured relative to the skis by bindings l8 and 20 which are well known and which enable the wearer to have limited movement relative to the skis.

As will be readily apparent to those persons skilled in the art, 'the subject idea has application not only to the field of snow skiing but also to the sport of water skiing and other sports and activities wherein it is desirable to maintain the feet in a predetermined relationship as will be hereinafter described. However, the particular problem solved by the subject invention is found most particularly in the sport of snow skiing wherein, in order to become an accomplished skier, it is necessary that the skier maintain his skis in certain predetermined, relative positions.

Firmly secured to the wearers boots as by any appropriate means such as fastening straps and the like, is the subject skiing device 22. As shown most particularly in FIG. 2 of the drawings, one portion 24 of device 22 is secured to the right boot by means of straps 26 and 28. Portion 24 comprises a channel member or plate 30 which may be formed into a channel as will hereinafter become apparent, or it may have secured thereto suitable channel members as shown at 32 and 34.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plate 30 is generally rectangular in construction and is secured to the inside or instep of the right boot 16 within a substantially vertical plane. Channel member 32 is formed with a U-shaped cross section and is secured to one end of vertical plate 30 by means of fastening devices such as screws 36. At the other end of said plate, the channel member 34 having a similar U-shaped cross section is secured thereto by means of screws 38.

Slidably positioned within the vertical channel afforded by members 30, 32 and 34 is a slide member 40 which is most clearly shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. Said slide member is rectangular in shape and has one end 40a inserted within U- shaped channel member 32 and an opposite end 40b inserted within U-shaped channel member 34. Such construction, as will hereinafter become more apparent, enables the slide member 40 to move rectilinearly within the channel members 32 and 34 substantially parallel with the plate 30.

Secured to slide member 40 as by fastening screws 42 and spacers 44 is a horizontal slide member 46. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawings, horizontal slide member 46 is generally rectangular in shape and moves with the vertical slide member 40.

The plate 30, channel members 32 and 34, and slide members 40 and 46 may be formed of any appropriate material such as metal, plastic and the like. However, to offer the skier maximum freedom in maneuvering and controlling his skis and body movements, it isdeemed most appropriate that the material be light in weight and yet strong and durable. Certain forms of plastic meet these criteria and certain metals such as aluminum would be considered desirable.

As seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the other portion 48 of the skiing device 22 is secured to the left boot 14 by means of straps 50 and 52. Such left-hand portion comprises a plate 54 held in a substantially vertical position and provided with channel members 56 and 58 in a manner similar to the aforementioned channel members 32 and 34 on plate 30 with respect to the right-hand portion 24.

For sliding movement within channel members 56 and 58, there is provided a slide member 60 similar to the aforementioned slide member 40 of the right-hand portion. The opposite ends 60a and 60b loosely engage the channel members 56 and 58 to permit vertical sliding movement relative to plate 54.

A horizontal channel member 62, most clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, is secured to slide member 60 by means of screws 64 and spacers 66. Channel member 62 is generally rectangular and elongated as shown in FIG. 3, and is provided with reversely bent opposite edges 62a and 62b to provide the channel shape cross section.

The channel member 62 is so connected to the slide plate 60 as to be disposed in a generally horizontal manner, parallel to the skis and 12.

The horizontal slide member 46 is inserted within the channel configuration of member 62 to fit loosely therewithin to enable the members 46 and 62 to slidably move relative to each other in a horizontal rectilinear direction. That is, the skier using the subject device places his skis in relative parallel relation by inserting the slide member 46 within the channel member 62. As a beginner or novice, the skier now is in proper position to descend a ski slope, the subject skiing device being operable to maintain the skis in proper relation unless an emergency should result.

As the skier descends the slope while wearing the subject device, he can cause his ski boots and skis to be moved up and down as well as fore and aft relative to each other without effecting disengagement or release of the device 22. This is obtained by virtue of the various vertical and horizontal channel members and slide members therefor. Thus, when a skier is forced to have one ski at a higher elevation, as a result of a change in elevation of the terrain or due to the execution of a turn or stop, one or both of the slide members 40 and 60 will be caused to move in their respective channel members. For instance, as shown in FIG. 4, when the skis are at the same elevation, the plates 30 and 54 are as shown in solid lines. However, in the event the left ski must be elevated with respect to the right ski, the vertical channels 32, 34 and 56, 58 in cooperation with their respective vertical slide members 40 and 60 will permit the plates 30 and 54 to assume the dotted line positions as shown in FIG. 4.

In this regard, it may be desirable to prevent the slide members 40 and 60 from leaving their respective channel structures, and for this purpose the embodiment shown in the drawings comprises four stop members 64 on plate 30 and four stop members 66 on plate 54. The stop members 64, of course, interfere with the slide member 40 to prevent the same from leaving the channel members 32 and 34. In like fashion, the stop members 66 restrict the slide member 60 within the channel members 56 and 58. As will be readily apparent to those persons skilled in the art, various different kinds and types of stop members might be employed in place of the members 64 and 66. Such stop members are believed to be a matter of choice.

The slidability of member 46 within channel member 62 enables the person's skis or boots to move fore and aft relative to each other. The member 46 thus freely slides within the channel member 62, and it is seen that the skier can move his feet in any combination of up and down and fore and aft relative movements without disrupting the parallelism of the skis l0 and 12.

In the event of a fall or other type of calamity, it is a simple matter for the skier to move his legs such as to release slide member 46 from channel member 62. This is accomplished, of course, merely by moving one ski forward or rearward with respect to the other ski.

After considerable use of the subject skiing device 22, the skier will have the "feel for keeping his skis in parallel relation and will want to try his skill without device 22. However, in the event further use is necessary, it is a simple matter by means of the straps, to again place the skiing device in operating position.

It is thus seen that the present device provides means for maintaining parallelism of the skis while enabling proper relative movement therebetween and permitting complete release of the device in the event of an emergency.

Although I have shown and described one specific embodiment of the present invention, certain modifications and changes are possible.

I claim:

1. A skiing device comprising in combination, a pair of plates fastened in substantially parallel relationship in separate vertical planes to the instep of a pair of ski boots respectively interlocking means including a vertical channel connected relative to each of said plates and a slide member enga cable with each of said channels, said interlocking means fu er including a horizontal channel and slide therefor carried respectively by said slide members, and means for releasing said interlocking means by predetermined relative interlocking movements of said plates.

2. A parallel skiing device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said vertical channels and said horizontal channels are open at their opposite ends to permit disengagement of their respective slides after predetermined fore and aft or up and down relative movement of said plates.

3. A parallel skiing device according to claim 2, wherein stop means is provided for preventing the vertical slides from falling out of said vertical channels under the influence of gravity.

4. A parallel skiing device according to claim 3 wherein said stop means comprises at least one stop pin fixed to each of said plates to interfere with the respective vertical slide to prevent its falling from the respective vertical channel.

5. A parallel skiing device according to claim 3 wheein said plates are secured by straps to said ski boots. 

1. A skiing device comprising in combination, a pair of plates fastened in substantially parallel relationship in separate vertical planes to the instep of a pair of ski boots respectively interlocking means including a vertical channel connected relative to each of said plates and a slide member engageable with each of said channels, said interlocking means further including a horizontal channel and slide therefor carried respectively by said slide members, and means for releasing said interlocking means by predetermined relative interlocking movements of said plates.
 2. A parallel skiing device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said vertical channels and said horizontal channels are open at their opposite ends to permit disengagement of their respective slides after predetermined fore and aft or up and down relative movement of said plates.
 3. A parallel skiing device according to claim 2, wherein stop means is provided for preventing the vertical slides from falling out of said vertical channels under the influence of gravity.
 4. A parallel skiing device according to claim 3 wherein said stop means comprises at least one stop pin fixed to each of said plates to interfere with the respective vertical slide to prevent its falling from the respective vertical channel.
 5. A parallel skiing device according to claim 3 wherein said plates are secured by straps to said ski boots. 